Zinedine Zidane Named France Head Coach, Succeeding Didier Deschamps

Zinedine Zidane has been appointed head coach of the France men’s national team, the French Football Federation confirmed on Tuesday, succeeding Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup.

Zidane, 54, signed a four-year contract and will formally begin his duties on Aug. 1. He is expected to name the remainder of his coaching staff in September.

The appointment had been widely anticipated. Deschamps announced in January 2025 that he would step down at the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup cycle. France reached the semifinals in that tournament, defeating Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco in the knockout stages before falling 2-0 to Spain. The team finished third after a 6-4 loss to England in the playoff.

“For me, today represents continuity, a dream,” Zidane said at a news conference. “I’ve had offers over the last four or five years to take charge of a club, and I’ve turned them all down for the sake of the French national team. It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.”

He added that he would seek to maintain the team’s winning culture while putting his own imprint on it. “Didier is Didier. Laurent Blanc is Laurent Blanc. Zizou is Zizou. I’m going to try to do what I know how to do. There’s no rupture with the past. I believe it’s a continuation.”

On captain Kylian Mbappé, Zidane said the two had not yet spoken and emphasized the need for rest after the World Cup. “We’ll have the chance to talk to him and all the players in September,” he said.

Zidane, one of France’s greatest players, helped the national team win the 1998 World Cup on home soil and the European Championship two years later. He last coached at Real Madrid, where he won three consecutive Champions League titles from 2015 to 2018 and two La Liga titles. He left the club for the second time in May 2021 and has remained out of management since, declining several approaches, including interest from the United States men’s national team and Manchester United.

Deschamps, a former teammate of Zidane’s at Juventus and with the national team, guided France to the 2018 World Cup title and the final in 2022. He also led the side to the Euro 2016 final.

Zidane’s return to the French setup completes a long arc that began in the under-15 ranks and culminated in senior success as a player. His stated goal remains straightforward: keep France winning.